Chapter 8 shows Christ in conflict with Jewish leaders and presents a series of important contrasts. In verses 1-20 the contrast is between light and darkness. As the Light of the world, Christ claimed to be God, for God is Light. While darkness speaks of death, ignorance and sin, light speaks of life, knowledge and holiness. Light reproves sin (John 3:20). The lost sinner lives in darkness (Ephesians 2:1-3), and will spend eternity in darkness if he rejects Christ (Matthew 25:30). Notice throughout this chapter that the Jews argue with Christ, rather than submitting to Him.
In verses 21-30 the contrast is between heaven and earth, the contrast being that there are two births. One is a heavenly birth, by God's Spirit from above. The other is the natural birth, when we are born in the flesh. There are two ways to die. The sinner dies in his sins, while the believer dies in the Lord. The difference is faith in Jesus Christ.
Another contrast is between the children of God and the children of Satan (verses 41-47). The Bible speaks of four different kinds of children. By nature we are born children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). When we reach the age of deliberate sin and rebellion, we become children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). When we place our faith in Christ, we become children of God (John 1:12). Finally, the person who rejects Christ, preferring self-righteousness, the devil's substitute, becomes a child of the devil. Remember that children of the devil are not always immoral drunkards or gamblers; many times they are self- righteous men who reject Christ. Much of what passes for Christianity today is not true, spiritual, Bible- based religion, but is the devil's counterfeit. Millions of people today are blinded by Satan, and have a form of godliness, but have never received Christ as their own personal Saviour.
